Downtown Idea Exchange, March 2023
March 1, 2023
- How one downtown uses mobile visitor data to hone its marketing
- Nine keys to running a successful gift card program
- Six rules for creating a thriving arts district
- Retail recruitment takes time and a plan, expert says
- Warren Buffett weighs in against hometown streetcar system
- Zoning, affordable space key for small-scale manufacturing
- Six sure ways to kill your ‘buy local’ promotion
- As violence continues, some downtowns begin active shooter training
- Idea Exchange: Quick Tips and News from Around the Country
When it comes to business signage, many commercial areas are a free-for-all of ads of all shapes, sizes, and colors. If your downtown could be described as an “ugly, cluttered, sign-overloaded district,” it’s time to clean up, says Ed McMahon, chairman emeritus of Main Street America and a senior fellow at the Urban Land Institute.…
Downtown leaders in West Palm Beach, FL (est. pop. 117,253), plan to unveil an unusual public art project in March. Dubbed Trojan Rocking Horses, the installation consists of eight life-sized rocking horses, each custom-designed by local children during design workshops. The horses were then produced locally under the guidance of a Finnish artist and architect.…
Outdoor artisan markets are gaining momentum in downtowns nationally, for a good reason. These events forge community connections and boost local economic development. The most dynamic and interactive markets serve as creative placemakers, says brand strategist Tracy Gravante, co-founder of Main Street Pops. A twist on farmers markets, artisan markets attract both local residents and…
Even before the pandemic, owners of aging office buildings were struggling to lure tenants and bolster rental rates. When the COVID-19 pandemic spurred a glut of office space and a shortage of housing, that trend accelerated. Now, downtowns across the country are seeing older office buildings convert to residential space — a welcome trend for…
Electric bicycle sales and shared e-bike rentals are on the rise around the country — Leaving transportation officials and policymakers struggling to keep up with the sudden popularity of a new form of transit that wasn’t envisioned when streets were designed and built. In one example of the boom, shared e-bike trips nearly doubled from…
The nationwide housing shortage has spurred many downtowns to remove parking minimums. It’s a shift that encourages development by reducing the costs of new housing while also promising to make communities more pedestrian-friendly. California recently abolished minimum parking requirements for new real estate development projects near public transit. La Mesa, CA (est. pop. 61,040), is…
In a trend that continues to vex downtown leaders and landlords, many office workers have shifted to working from home, either full time or a few days a week. “Even now, 42 percent of workers work from home full-time. Others only go in a few days a week,” Vanessa Quijano, director of communication for NJ…
Providing safe storage to homeless Most local shelters only permit clients to bring a single bag, forcing them to choose between leaving their belongings behind or staying elsewhere — often on downtown streets. In Kansas City, MO, 30 gallon bins are providing storage for the homeless. The rolling bins are stored in a secure location…